Saturday, October 13, 2012

settling in

It seems strange to be posting these images from the summer, as we have just had our first frost up here in Maine. Since I last wrote in April, much has changed in our lives. The gentleman and I packed up our things and headed north, leaving behind the hustle and bustle of Washington. And though it was hard for me to say goodbye to friends of almost 20 years, it has been a good change. We are in awe of the beauty surrounding us, and the kindness of people who just four months ago were strangers to us.

We have begun a love affair with an old blue house. Its weather-beaten clapboards are in desperate need of paint, and there is a horrible lack of closets and bookshelves ~ but we couldn't imagine anything more perfect. Inside there is delightful mix of Georgian and Federal woodwork, rough plaster, wavy old glass, brick fireplaces, and uneven pine floors. Outside, there are masses of hydrangea bushes, blue thistles, lilacs, and an ancient apple tree. Our neighbor's apples and pears spill over the fence, and the huge old fir trees drop pine needles all over the driveway.

There have been challenges for both of us ~ starting new jobs, making new friends, and navigating a new grocery store. We have accomplished the daunting task of unpacking and settling in, and have finally have time to explore new roads. I don't know where this blog will go from here, but I know it will be both the same and different. How can it not be? Regardless, it will be an adventure.

Hello Janet, Those shade of gray make a superb background for the greens and other nature colors. I'm glad to see that your special kind of vision has found such a congenial new home in Maine.--Road to Parnassus

I was about to send out a search patrol. Glad to hear from you. What's your new job? Do they know how lucky they are to get you? Enjoy your favorite season and happy anniversary. (I remember because my birthday is Oct. 15!)

pve ~ you are so sweet to think of us. I have missed this space and am happy to be posting again. Looking forward to catching up on your blog.

Barbara ~ yes, finally, at last! Been thinking of you all week. xo

Parnassus ~ Maine has its own special color palette. There is much to be explored. Thanks for your kind words.

hbd ~ I am working part time with the Peabody Essex Museum on a special project. There is a web component to it, which I hope to reveal here some day (!!!). Happy Birthday to you (tomorrow) ~ we'll be thinking of you, my faraway friend!

How wonderful to see you back! I'm looking forward to your ramblings in Maine - the northeastern seaboard is my spiritual and cultural home - and I've been back(on the Fundy Coast of Nova Scotia) now for many years, thank heavens! Looking forward to your new posts, I simply love Maine.

Is that your house? What magical gardens! Can't wait to see and hear more, albeit digitally now :-( Moving is HARD WORK! I had the same problems with bookspace and had to find some (inexpensive) solutions and I like the unexpected way they turned out!

I'm so glad you're posting again and happy to hear that you're settling into your new old house in my hometown! I've always admired your house, ever since I was a little girl, when it was decidedly more black than blue (at least in my memory).

Donna ~ it was so nice to meet you this summer! We are so thrilled to be in 106, and are looking forward to being its caretakers. The blue will stay! It desperately needs repainting. I have been looking at colors in the Historic New England line, and well as Benjamin Moore's Historic Colors. There are some wonderful blues (almost black). I'm happy to finally have a little time to start posting again. Took me a while to get the ball rolling. BTW, I just started a part-time job at PEM, so I'm occasionally in Salem!

Stefan ~ yes, our house! We have hardly done a thing to the garden. . . just curious to see what comes up. Of course everyone says we absolutely MUST rip out all those thistles because they will take over the garden, but I LOVE them. They just suit the place. We planted some bulbs a couple weeks ago, but the racoons have been digging them up, so we'll see what happens in the spring. The whole moving thing was a real SLOG. I don't want to do it again any time soon. I am afraid that book cases are going to have to wait for a while. . . there are just so many things we have to do (lawn mower, garden equipment, washing machine, dryer, wonky chimney, the list goes on). But we are loving the house, trolling flea markets and antique malls for bargains. Hit the jackpot this summer at a local yard sale at this fantastic old house (ask Anabeth about it!). Anyway, I am dying to see and hear more of your new place! xo